The Legal 500

Appleby provides non-contentious trusts advice, advising institutional trustees, settlors and beneficiaries of trusts; and is involved in major trust litigation and trust dispute matters, which are usually multi-party and often multi-jurisdictional. The team acted in the establishment of two Cayman private trust companies as part of a trust restructuring for a prominent family that was necessitated by French tax changes. It also represented the settlor and beneficiary of a Cayman trust in relation to a claim made against the trust by her former husband and in relation to a Beddoes application made by the trustee. Carlos de Serpa Pimentel leads the Cayman team and is highly rated by the market. Senior associate Robert Mack is also a key contact.

Maples and Calder advises on a range of private client, trust litigation, unit trust and other commercial trust matters, acting for global financial institutions, foreign governments, other financial centres, and some of the world's wealthiest individuals - including heads of state - on Cayman Islands private wealth structures. The practice has acted for financial institutions on their standard trust precedents and related contractual documentation, including their standard terms of business. Justin Appleyard is the recommended team head. Nigel Porteous advises on all aspects of trusts law including those concerning private trusts, public trusts, and trusts used for commercial purposes, in particular unit trusts.

Conyers Dill & Pearman's recommended practitioner David Pytches is regularly instructed by prominent UK and US law firms to advise on private and commercial trust structuring matters, and has a particular focus on clients in the Middle East region. The practice recently assisted in implementing two trust structures to operate as tax efficient off-balance sheet vehicles. Bernadette Carey left for Colin Biggers & Paisley in Sydney.

Mourant Ozannes's Cayman practice head Morven McMillan has extensive experience of Cayman Islands and English law, private client advisory and trust litigation work. Morven is an 'excellent practitioner; she is tough, but user-friendly, and she is also an excellent tactician on multi-jurisdictional cases.' Lucy Diggle specialises in contentious trusts and disputed estates work; Diggle is also 'very good, and provides excellent client service'.

Walkers undertakes all types of international private trust, estate and wealth planning work; and offers advice relating to the establishment and operation of international trust companies and commercial trust work. The firm's clients range from high to ultra-high-net-worth individuals, to major international trust companies and financial institutions. Andrew Miller heads the global trusts group. Senior counsels Anthony Partridge and Monique Bhullar are also experienced advisers.

Charles Adams, Ritchie & Duckworth's Antony Duckworth has a longstanding reputation for excellence in the Cayman legal market and remains rated by his peers. The practice advises on private and commercial trusts, acts in sizeable family settlements, and is experienced in drafting trust instruments.

Higgs & Johnson has seen a considerable increase in referrals of work from large trust companies in Cayman. The practice provided succession planning advice for a large business owner whose structure has historically been based in Japan, advising on a private trust company structure in Cayman to facilitate a cross generational handover of the business in conjunction with another non-family business partner. Tom Mylott's 'thoughtful, responsive and pragmatic approach is highly valued by clients'.

Ogier regularly advises on wills, estate administration, trust structuring, aircraft and vessel registration, private funds and philanthropy, in addition to representing trustees, protectors, enforcers and beneficiaries in contentious and non-contentious matters. The team acted for the trustee of a Cayman STAR trust, who was joined to ancillary relief proceedings between the settlor/beneficiaries of the trust. Giorgio Subiotto is a key contact. Senior associate David Cooney arrived from Gorvins where he was head of wills, trust and probate. Richard de Lacy QC, who is experienced in trust litigation, joined from 3 Stone Buildings.